Michael S. Smith kitchens and baths book

Michael Mundy

Released this week from Rizzoli, "Michael S. Smith Kitchens and Baths" by Smith and co-author Christine Pittel looks at a range of homes -- some rustic, some modern, some that aim for Old World elegance. Pictured on the cover: a Fifth Avenue apartment whose dressing room is covered in gold leaf and whose tub is surrounded by gold tile.

Released this week from Rizzoli, "Michael S. Smith Kitchens and Baths" by Smith and co-author Christine Pittel looks at a range of homes -- some rustic, some modern, some that aim for Old World elegance. Pictured on the cover: a Fifth Avenue apartment whose dressing room is covered in gold leaf and whose tub is surrounded by gold tile. (Michael Mundy)

Anyone familiar with Smith's portfolio would know the projects featured in the book are a collection of dreams, not DIY inspiration. Lest there be any confusion, the first featured project is a 19,000-square-foot Malibu villa whose kitchen had two goals: Be comfortable for a family and be functional for their caterers. The Laguna Beach kitchen pictured here has an island designed to look like an antique table, topped with Carrara marble for a work surface. The pendant lights are by Alison Berger, a West Hollywood glass blower whose etched writings cast patterns of light and shadow.

Anyone familiar with Smith's portfolio would know the projects featured in the book are a collection of dreams, not DIY inspiration. Lest there be any confusion, the first featured project is a 19,000-square-foot Malibu villa whose kitchen had two goals: Be comfortable for a family and be functional for their caterers. The Laguna Beach kitchen pictured here has an island designed to look like an antique table, topped with Carrara marble for a work surface. The pendant lights are by Alison Berger, a West Hollywood glass blower whose etched writings cast patterns of light and shadow. (Thomas Loof / TruckArchive.com)